Originally Posted by
GUWonder
This matter is far from successfully concluded -- especially as we are seeing DL apply more and higher fees to award tickets ... fees that were not and still are not properly disclosed at the time DL and its partners are marketing SkyMiles award ticket redemption opportunities.
Advertising award tickets as if DL only charges 25,000 miles is very disingenuine when Delta actually will be charging 25,000 miles + (at least) $25 (if not more).
Before the fuel surcharges, award tickets were essentially paid for through the prices paid for revenue tickets. In other words, paid tickets covered the operating cost of those tickets plus the cost of award tickets plus profits. I fail to understand why the formula should have to change. Operating costs are increasing due to rising fuel costs, but so is the price of revenue tickets. So why is the cost of providing award tickets no longer covered by revenue ticket sales? I guess DL is afraid that the ticket price increases that would be dictated by the old formula would so shock the traveling public that they would rather nickel and dime with change fees, baggage fees, fuel surcharges on paid tickets, fuel surcharges on award tickets, etc.